Dr. Charles Larry Hutto, Au.D., 75, of Severna Park, MD, passed away November 21st of pancreatic cancer. He was born in Abilene, TX, July 18, 1945, to Charles Herman Hutto and Lola Elizabeth Hutto (née Van Zandt). Although he cherished his Texan roots, he lived all over the world as a self-described Navy brat. He especially loved his time as a young boy on the island of Kwajalein in the South Pacific.

Larry attended the University of Arizona where he met his wife, Kate (née Hume). They were married in Tucson, Arizona, on June 3, 1967. Larry was in the Air Force from 1966 to 1969 serving as a Chinese linguist. He was last stationed at Fort Meade, MD, which led to his settling in Anne Arundel County.

Larry graduated from the University of Maryland with high honors, attended graduate studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene of Public Health, and earned his Doctor of Audiology degree from the Arizona School of Health Sciences. After being the consultant audiologist to the Maryland School for the Blind and the Anne Arundel County Health Department, he founded Chesapeake Hearing Centers in 1975, becoming the first audiologist in private practice in the state of Maryland. From humble beginnings, Chesapeake Hearing Centers has grown to seven locations across Maryland, serving as a pillar in the community and improving thousands of lives through better hearing.

Larry discovered audiology when he and his wife adopted a deaf child, Ernest. The experience taught him the importance of hearing in our lives and of early intervention in hearing loss. One of his proudest moments was being selected to initiate the first in-hospital hearing screening program at Anne Arundel General Hospital in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Larry also mentored countless audiologists nationwide, served as the President of the Maryland Academy of Audiology and the Audiological Resource Association, lectured at local and national professional meetings, and taught graduate courses at Loyola College.

Larry was a loving and devoted father. When his daughters were in high school, he was an active Severna Park High School Marching Band Booster, composing much-loved videos of their performances. Throughout his life, Larry was a man with many great passions, from photography, astronomy, and golfing to playing Blue Grass music on his guitar, tinkering with computers, avidly following developments in space travel, and reading about Texas history. Although he never fully retired, he and Kate enjoyed many years of the RV lifestyle, traveling extensively in their motorhome.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his son David. He is survived by his wife Kate, his daughters Mariya Hutto (Pam) of Severna Park and Julie Petruzzi (Paul) of Silver Spring, his son Ernest Hutto (Fawn) of Salisbury, and his grandchildren Nathaniel Redd, Samantha Petruzzi, and Erica Petruzzi. He is also survived by his sister Summer Hutto of Rimrock, AZ, and his brother David Hutto (Pat) of Midland, TX, among many other much-loved relatives.

A memorial service will be planned once we can all gather safely. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Deaf Independent Living Association, Inc., and Hospice of the Chesapeake.